The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-06-03
Forming their ranks and marching along.
Shouting aloud their favorite song
Hail Columbia, happy land -
Hail We heroes, heaven-born band;
Saluting, as they saw it wave,
The banner of the free and brave.

the nation and we, as individuals, should
cherish and keep warm in our hearts
the memory of those fallen heroes wht
went at. their country's call, butreturnel
not again to the homes they loved Sc
well-to those iresides to which they
had been the light and joy, or to the EN-
brace of the loved ones at home" Or
the battle field, in the hospital, on the
lonely sentry's beat, in the mid-day's
march, in the dark and loathesemt
walls of rebel prisons, they yielded ur
their lives willing sacrifice. They
were of nobler mould than common
clay.
Thanks to the living God for the mer
who died for their country. An orator, in
alludirg to our brave comrades and fall
en- heroes, has beautifully and truthfully
said, This favored land has hidden in
its bosom inexhaustible stores OF wealth
but in all its mines it has not treasure
so priceless as lies in the soldiers crave. .
The example Of the lives of heroes, the
glorious sacrifice of their death, and the
tender and loving memory with which
each year we return to the sacred ground
are worth more to the nation than the
richest treasure of earth. The gold we
bring from the mines is oftener a curse
than a blessing, but from the graves OF
our fallen ones there comes lofty spirit
of true patriotism. From them we learn
the best lessons Of civilization-that the
noblest man is he who lives and dies for
mankind. These fallen ones fought for
ideas. No selfish lust for the booty of a
Mexico or Peru spurred them on. No
empty phantom of glory beckoned them
to another Austerlitz no cruel scheme
of empire made their blood the price of
a nonarch's crown. They ught be-
cause they loved the land in which they
lived, and for the welfare of its people
they were willing to lay down their lives.
| believe the mistaken men who
fought for secession were inspired by the
belief that their state and the welfare of
their people demanded the last and
greatest sacrifice which an Individual
can make for the public good. And
those who sought higher purpose the
unity Of the nation the elevation of a
race the advancement of mankind.
glorified their lives by the same courage
and lofty self-devotion, enlisted in a
noble and sacred cause. We cannot
forget what we owe to those who fought
for the flag of freedom. Paying to
heroism and self-sacrifice the honor
which history will reward, we must also
remember the sacred cause which the
soldiers of the Union upheld. It was
not for dominion over the South, not for
g mere constitutional construction, right
or wrong. 1t was indeed for national
unity, and to them we owe it that we
are not to-day 9 discovered people, mad.
dened by long strife, torn by anarchy
and bleeding in perpetual strife allalong
the border. To them we owe it that the
day-star of human freedom still shines
with hope to all nations. To them we
owe it that the experiment of selfgov-
eminent, victorious in its severest trial,
attracts the nations of Europe and
stimulates them to initiate us. But we
owe them more. They conquered
human slavery. They lifted race of
men from chairs and darkness to the
light and life Of freedom. They fought
for humanity and FOR that nobler prog
less and civilization which never can
grow in soil trodden by the feet ofslayes
So to them we owe not only national